Relevant Parts

Carefully insert a small flathead screwdriver in the seam between the metal casing and white plastic top. Use the screwdriver to pry up the white plastic top bezel. Be careful not to damage the soft plastic with your screwdriver.

The top bezel is held on with an adhesive, so it may be necessary to pry up in several different locations to free the part.

To make this job easier, heat up the adhesive with a hairdryer on low heat for a few seconds.

You can also gently use a metal spudger to lift up both the top and bottom bezels. Allow only 1/8" of the metal spudger (like the screwdriver in the picture) to get inside to get leverage, before fully lifting the bezel up. Please note where the little "teeth" are underneath the bezels, or you can damage those if you are not careful.

Also, using too big of a flathead screwdriver can cause damage to the plastic and chips away plastic from where you were trying to pry up the bezels, ruining the look of the iPod.

There should be a button here for "I did it -- EPIC FAILURE!!" When I put my iPod back together, the components on the mainboard were scraping against the clickwheel, and maybe the battery wasn't in perfect alignment, but the result was that there was a lethal amount of friction when sliding the assembly back into the case. As I was trying to relieve the pressure by tilting the board down using a spudger from the bottom, the top of the display bezel ended up scraping against the casing in such a way that it cracked from the center of the right edge. OUCH!! There goes a $50 repair job and a $40 replacement cost! Bye Bye perfectly working iPod Mini )-;

There are two safeguards that can be done when reassembling this iPod. First, use a stiff piece of plastic film as a shim and lubricant between the top of the logic board and the top inside of the case, such as anti-static packaging, or the clear bag packaging of Apple display dongles (use an exacto knife to cut a long strip of it). Don't cover the display with the plastic, just the logic board components. Second, instead of pushing down on the assembly from the top or sides of the display which will place dangerous pressure on it, connect a cable to the dock connector and pull on it from the bottom, and pull out the plastic shield deftly and easily after the assembly is in position.

If you have longish fingernails and don't mind ruining them, I found it helpful to run my thumbnail between the plastic and the metal casing before going at it with a screwdriver. The little "teeth" a previous commenter mentioned are at approximately the 1/3 and 2/3 marks on the long edge of the plastic casings.

It's time to speak out for your right to repair

Dear Minnesotans,

Right now, Minnesota has a chance to pass the first Fair Repair bill in the nation.
We have a chance to guarantee our right to repair electronics—like smartphones, computers, and even farm equipment.
We have a chance to help the environment and stand up for local repair jobs—the corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed out by manufacturers.

We've been working with local repair companies, non-profit refurbishers, and tech-savvy politicians to come up with a solution. And they've done just that — Minnesota is the first state to consider a Fair Repair Bill.

If you agree with us, find out who represents you in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Tell them you support the bipartisan Fair Repair Bill, HF 1048. Tell them that you believe repair
should be fair, affordable, and accessible.